Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs
My 3 days have been filling up quickly lately. In an effort to accomodate everyone’s requests for treatment I have decided to add one day a week to my schedule. I will now be available on Tuesdays in addition to Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Don’t forget you can book online by clicking the “Book Now” button on the top left of this page.
Hope to see you soon!
Tinctures are alcohol-based preparations and a common way of making herbal medicine in Western herbalism. For most plants, alcohol is a better solvent than water, and some herbs have components that can ONLY be extracted with alcohol. In addition, the alchohol acts as a preservative for the plant material, extending the shelf life of the medicine. Some tinctures are made using glycerin or vinegar, although this is less common. Tinctures are quite strong, certainly stronger than infusions and simple Western decoctions. Dosage varies by herb but is generally considered between 5-15 drops, 3-4 times per day. To take a tincture, the drops can be simply taken straight from the bottle, or they can be added to water or another beverage. If alcohol is an issue, for instance for children, the drops can be placed in a small cup of steaming hot water so that the alcohol will evaporate and the herb content will be left. The water can be drunk warm, or left to cool first.
Directions for making a tincture at home, as written in The New Holistic Herbal by David Hoffmann:
1. Put 120 grams (4 ounces) of chopped or ground dried herb into a container that has a tight-fitting lid, such as a mason jar.
2. Pour half a liter (1 pint) of 30% (60 proof) vodka on the herbs and close tightly. (Be sure the herbs are completely covered to prevent any mold from growing on the plant material)
3. Keep the container in a warm place for two weeks and shake it well twice every day. (Be sure to label the jar with contents and date, epecially if you have more than one tincture brewing at a time.)
4. After decanting the bulk of the liquid, pour the residue into a muslin cloth suspended in a bowl.
5. Wring out all the liquid. The residue makes excellent compost.
6. Pour the tincture into a dark bottle. It should be kept well stoppered. (Again, labeled with contents and the date.)
Infusions
An infusion is a water-based preparation in which a cup of hot water is poured over a teaspoon of dried herbs, is covered for 10-15 minutes, and then the herbs are strained. I should mention that the difference between a beverage tea, such as a cup of chamomile before bed, and a medicinal tea is that to be considered medicinal the tea MUST be covered so that the medicinal qualities of the volatile oils do not escape in the steam. Because they are also infused for a longer period of time medicinal teas are not necessarily tasty, and honey, sugar or licorice can be added to make them more palatable. The advantage of this method is that it is fast, easy, relatively safe, and very accessible for most people. This is a good method for self-care and the functions of many dried herbs can be found in books and online. The disadvantage is that they are not incredibly strong medicine and there are herbs in which the medicinal components of the plants are not released in hot water alone and must either be boiled for some time or extracted with alcohol.
Decoctions
Like infusions, decoctions are a water based preparation. The difference is that the herb material is cooked in water for an extended period of time over a flame, such as on a stove. The Western herbal technique is to put one teaspoon of dried or three teaspoons of fresh herb material for each cup of water into a pot. The water is then brought to a boil and left to simmer for ten to fifteen minutes. Again, they should be covered especially if the herbs used contain volatile oils. The decoction is then strained and administered while still hot in a single dose.
Chinese herbal decoctions are a bit more complicated. A mixture of anywhere from 2 to 20 dried herbs are combined and put into a pot. If the herbs are especially hard, such as bark, twigs or roots, the plants are either cut into small pieces, or ground into a powder and placed in a muslin bag. The herbs are covered with about 4 cups of water and left to sit for a bit to soften them up. The water is then brought to a boil and simmered for 40-60 minutes or until 2 cups of water remain. The herbs are strained and the liquid is reserved. The herbs are then covered a second time with 4 cups of water and the process is repeated until 2 cups remain. The herbs are strained and the water is added to the first batch of liquid. The herbs are discarded. The 4 remaining cups of liquid are drunk over the next 2 days, one cup twice a day.
Some herbs are left out of the pot originally and added at the end of the decoction, such as bo he (mint). Some are cooked for much shorter periods of time with a lid (to protect those oils again!) and some are cooked longer to reduce any toxicity that might occur with that particular herb. Due to this, when making a Chinese decoction it is important to know a bit more about the qualities of specific herbs or to follow directions given by a trained herbalist. This means that decoctions have the disadvantage of not being particularly good for self-treatment, but they do have the advantage of being very strong and great for acute situations. They are also very messy, take time and effort, smell up a house, and generally taste terrible. For this reason, many Western clinics no longer prescribe them because compliance with taking herbal formulas is low.
I encourage anyone who has the opportunity, to use a Chinese medicinal decoction at least once to experience it. It is an ancient form of medicine, very effective, and a wonderful experience. A lot of healing is gained when one works closely with one’s own herbs. To look at them dried, sift through them, smell them, try to identify them (is that a dried insect???) and then to smell them cooking before taking them internally is all a part of the healing process. It may not be the most practical way to take herbs on a long term basis, but it will bring someone closer to the roots of Chinese Medicine.
Around the world there are many different ways in which herbs can be taken to treat physical and emotional complaints. In China, the most common forms of herbal medicine are decoctions, granules, syrups, pills and injections. Of those, pills have become the most popular in modern Western practices, since many Western patients are not comfortable cooking smelly herbs in their homes and drinking decoctions and granules that taste bitter. Western herbalists use these same methods as well, but also infusions, tinctures and capsules. I would like to take a few posts to describe each of these methods, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Reiki is a technique of energy healing developed by the Japanese theologist Dr. Mikao Usui at the end of the 19th century. Reiki literally means “Universal Life Energy.” By laying hands on particular parts of the body, a practitioner becomes a conduit of this universal energy allowing it to move from the universe into the person being treated. This energy enters the person and a “conversation” happens between the person’s core energy and the universal energy so that appropriate healing can take place. It can be used as a complement to physical medicines for treating ailments of the body, and also can help a person’s energy align for deeper psychological or spiritual healing.
The feeling is generally one of deep relaxation and of becoming more “grounded.” Responses to treatment can vary from simply speeding up the healing of physical ailments, to profound answers to one’s inner-most questions. For me, Reiki, like meditation or acupuncture, helps me to feel more whole and at one with myself, the world and the people in my life; reducing anxiety and increasing confidence to make life decisions.
If you have never experienced Reiki, I encourage you to do so. It is a safe, non-invasive treatment with no side effects for children, adults, pets and even plants!!
Queen Anne Acupuncture is now offering 30 minute Reiki sessions. I have been Reiki certified for 12 years, but until recently practiced solely on friends and family. It has come to my attention that people in Seattle are interested in receiving Reiki treatments, so I am adding it to my professional services. I hope to encourage those who are curious about Reiki to come give it a try by offering a 50% discount for 30 minutes of Reiki during the months of May and June of 2010. For $25 you can experience the deep relaxation and healing benefits of the ancient Japanese technique.
“It’s 5am and I’m sitting at the airport and am in complete amazement! I woke up with a full range of motion in my neck and not an ounce of pain. I haven’t even taken any advil yet. I can hardly believe it! I am one happy girl.”
That is an email I received from a patient who had come in the day before with acute neck pain. Because she was flying the following day, she was desperate to get some relief from pain and the limited range of motion in her neck which had been plagueing her for 3 days. Advil took the edge off, but wasn’t giving her complete relief, and was doing nothing for her inability to turn her head to the right.
Upon palpation I found several very tight areas between her spine and her scapula on the right side, and also in the muscles on the right side of her neck. I did acupuncture locally, and also used a combination of points on her wrists and ankles on the acupuncture channels that traverse the upper back and neck.
The acupuncture certainly contributed to her quick recovery, but I think the key to treatment success in this case was the gua sha which I applied to her upper back following the acupuncture.
Gua sha is an ancient technique in which a smooth-edged tool, usually a ceramic soup spoon, is scraped along the skin in one area repeatedly. The technique stimulates blood flow and produces heat which releases toxins and helps muscles to relax. The feeling is one of a strong massage, and can leave reddish marks referred to as “petichiae”. Using gua sha on the muscles of my patient’s neck and upper back were the key to her relief from pain and return to normal range of motion. I use gua sha quite a bit in the spring when neck pain and spasm are a common phenomenon.
February 14, 2010 to February 2, 2011
The Tiger Personality
Tigers are incorrigibly competitive – they simply cannot pass up a challenge, especially when honor is at stake, or they are protecting those they love. Tigers are unpredictable and it would be unwise to underestimate their reactions. They may appear cool, but they have the Big Cat’s instincts to pounce at a moment’s warning. Natural leaders, they have a strong sense of their own dignity. Tigers are intelligent, alert, and farsighted. They have their fingers on the pulse. Good strategists and tacticians, they often have a hidden agenda. As long as they do not risk their luck too often, and keep their restless nature under control, their tactics usually pay off in life, becoming hugely successful and in positions of power.
Those born in the Year of the Tiger will be completely honest about how they feel and expect the same of others. On the other hand, they seek approval from peers and family. Generally, because of their charming personalities Tigers are well liked. Failing at a given task or being unproductive in his or her personal or professional life can cause a Tiger to experience a depression. Criticism from loved ones can also generate this type of Tiger reaction. Still, like all felines Tigers always land on their feet, ready for their next act in life, pursuing it with unyielding energy and hunting it infallibly.
What to Expect in the Tiger Year
Because of the characteristics of the Tiger personality, this year will be a good year to “hunt” for what one desires with strength and courage and a sense of competition. The tiger energy will help us all to stay the course through challenges and accomplish our goals with a sense of power. We must be careful not to be hasty and rash though, as this could lead to clashes with others. If we keep a cool head and use logic and strategy we will be ready to pounce when the moment is right.
Watch for mood-swings and temper tantrums this year as the tiger energy is prone to these. We will be more likely to make rash decisions based on temporary emotions, but if we can keep this in check and weigh our options, thinking about consequences before acting, we will succeed at whatever we are working toward.
Health in the Tiger Year
Tigers tackle everything in their lives in brief bursts of energy, collapsing afterwards in a heap of exhaustion. Normally they are soon back to full strength, but this approach wastes qi and can cause their long-term health to suffer. This year we will all be prone to this kind of adrenal burn-out unless we take it a little easier and learn to pace ourselves. We must learn to keep active longer and sustain by using a more moderate level of energy use. Tigers are blessed with flexibility and recover quickly from illness or pain, and provided we take time to relax and heal, we too will find illnesses don’t last during the coming year. A Tiger’s meanest enemy is the damage he can inflict upon himself in the midst of a temper tantrum, including health issues related to this Heart attacks, strokes, migraine headaches, tinnitus, and eye problems. Watch yourself for these symptoms of “hot-headedness” that we call “rising Liver qi” this year to avoid these types of health issues. Take time to slow down, catch your breath and relax, and you will find this year to be one blessed with accomplishments and good health.
In this day and age we feel like we need to choose between western and eastern medicine. I had a wonderful experience in my office that I think puts that concept to the test. It’s a great example of how I think modern medicine should work.
There is a Naturopathic doctor in my building, Dr. Amy Fasig, with whom I have many shared patients. She had a patient recently with a severe sore throat and fatigue that wasn’t getting better. Dr. Amy took a throat culture to see if she had a bacterial infection, and gave her a homeopathic remedy for her throat and a referral to my office. I diagnosed her with the Chinese Medicine pattern of Wind-Heat Toxin in the Lung. I had a Chinese herbal formula in mind which contained anti-bacterial herbs that cleared Wind-Heat and Resolved Toxins in the Lung. While this patient was receiving acupuncture, Dr. Amy came into the office to let me know that the culture came back positive for a bacterial infection. I showed her the Chinese herbal remedy I was going to use, she thought it looked great, as it contained several herbs used in Western herbalism for bacterial infections. We determined together that the best course of action would be to give her the herbal remedy first, and if it didn’t do the trick in 2 days, Amy would give her antibiotics. This is such a great example of how we can work together. The Western culture gave us knowledge which informed our eastern herbal formula choice, and should the more natural choice not resolve the infection, the western antibiotics would be available.
Western and Eastern medicine both have strengths and weaknessess and in this modern world we have the advantage of being able to use them together for the best possible outcome for patients.
This time of year I hear a lot of patients talking about how their kids are coughing constantly. When children catch colds, they often get coughs, sometimes dry, sometimes phlegmy, and especially at night. These episodes are miserable for everyone. Western cough syrups are very strong drugs and many parents don’t want to use them but resort to them so that everyone can get some sleep.
There is a wonderful Chinese Medicine alternative. Blue Poppy Herbs makes a pediatric formula called Lung Qi Jr. that works wonders on those pesky coughing fits. I have been giving it to my children since they were infants whenever they had colds with coughs. Not only does it help to calm the coughing, it has several herbs in it that fight the infection at the source of the cough. It is one of those formulas that I think anyone with kids should have in the medicine cabinet. It comes in a liquid form and contains vegetable glycerin to sweeten it up so that it is more palateable to young tongues. I squirt it directly into my children’s mouths, but it can also be added to juice, milk, yogurt, or anything else.
